Rarer than Diamonds
by MidnightAsphyxiation
Summary: In the city ruled by empires by day and the yakuza by night, those who are caught in between are merely collateral damage. Chapter 1: ItachiOC 'I could've loved you if you'd let me.'


**Chapter One**

 _ItachiOC - 'I could've loved you if you'd let me.'_

* * *

In the dark, smoke filled underground bar, Uchiha Itachi stepped into the room and examined its occupants for any threats, wanting to make sure that there were no traps.

Walking through the room, he glanced silently at the guard by and scanned him for any weapons. He pushed past the curtains after the guard nodded, admitting him in.

L'Esperanza was luxuriously scented, with silk draped all over the room and glasses full of champagne stacked one upon another like a fountain. Plants hung from the ceilings and curled up against the columns and the women were dressed provocatively. The service was impeccable, as a glass of green tea was served up to him as soon as he sat down.

'Can I offer you any drinks, si- Itachi?'

He looked up at the slip of words and found himself pleasantly yet curiously surprised as his eyes caught the sight of Suzuki Haruka. She was more mature now – weren't they all? – her face slim and smooth, her almond shaped hazel eyes emphasised by the smoky make up and was curtained underneath her long, curved lashes. Her small, soft lips were painted red and her high cheek bones splattered with red rouge. His eyes moved down, down the smooth cut of her neck, her delicate collarbone and frame, her breasts round and plump, emphasised by the cut of her dress, and her long legs were exquisitely tempting through the slit of her dress. She'd certainly grown up well

'My eyes are up here.'

She stated glacially, the exact opposite of the welcoming, benevolent tone she was supposed to be using but Itachi let it slide. Before he could speak, another handsome figure cut past in his $5,000 three piece suit.

'Ah, Itachi-san, is that you?'

Itachi nodded in greeting as Akatsuki Yahiko moved to sit down across from Itachi and he glanced at Haruka.

'Ah, Haruka-chan, my dear, a glass of my favourite Bordeaux please, _hime-chan._ And Itachi?'

His eyes turned back to Haruka again and he simply said 'Yamazaki sake.'

'Certainly.'

She whispered as she bowed to the two of them and slipped away gracefully, as if she was walking on air.

'She's quite pretty, isn't she?'

Yahiko questioned Itachi cheekily as he leaned on the table between them, his cheek pressed against his palm. Itachi didn't answer but Yahiko grinned, continuing on.

'Everything in here can be bought, you know, Itachi. The girls, the illegal and banned floral in here, the exotic animals in the back imported illegally, the alcohol. Everything.'

Yahiko emphasised with a swirl of his wrist around the room.

'Your drinks.'

Haruka spoke, smoothly placing the glass of red, the sake bottle and a cup on the table infront of the two occupants.

The two men watched the slow sashaying hips of the woman who left. One with obvious pleasure and the other more guarded.

'Has she been bought before?'

If Yahiko was surprised by Itachi's sudden interest and his lack of usual focus on the supposed topic, he didn't show it.

'A woman as beautiful as her? What do you think?'

There was a look of contemplation before Itachi's face hardened.

'Enough. I want to know if you've heard of the Kyuubi?'

Yahiko sipped a glass of his red wine, his piercings on his face moving as he raised an eyebrow.

'Of course I have, rumour has it that it's surfaced in the underground. Now what could you possibly want with the world's biggest and most sought after blood diamond?'

'Curiosity.'

Itachi replied simply and Yahiko laughed.

'Ah, the rarest diamond of all, the blood red diamond. They say the diamond becomes redder each time it changes hands because of the blood shed to obtain it.'

'And now I wish to possess it and its _unusual_ properties.'

'It was rumoured that the Senju family was in possession of the diamond centuries ago until it was gifted to a relative after an agreement was formed with another family.'

Itachi knew instantly that _agreement_ came in the form of an alliance. A family bonded together through matrimony.

'Senju Tsunade was never married. Her lover died years ago.'

'That's right.' Yahiko affirmed as he took another sip of his wine.

'However, the Uzumaki bride of Senju Hashirama… the first Hokage… is rumoured to have gifted the Kyuubi to a Uzumaki descendant of hers when she married the fourth Hokage.'

Itachi blinked at the implications.

'So the murder...'

'So the murder of the fourth Hokage and his wife may not have been as…random as it had been made out.'

Itachi gave a look of disdain as he drank his tea. This was old news. The fourth Hokage had been a strong leader in the city of Tokyo, having been nominated by the Konoha area as their leader, no one had believed when the fourth Hokage and his wife had died, that it had been a simply murder of convenience. The fourth Hokage had been well-trained and had been an excellent fighter while he had been working in the underground world.

'So you are saying that either the Uzumaki boy has it or the Hyuuga clan is now in possession of it.'

Itachi stated as he his minds analysed the recent state of politics in the business empires and Yazuka families in Tokyo. Yahiko shrugged his shoulders.

'It would certainly explain why the head of Hyuuga has allowed his heiress to marry a boy who the Hyuugas would usually consider… so beneath them.'

There was silence as the two enjoyed the music playing and the scents. Yahiko certainly enjoyed watching the beautiful ladies move around in the secluded and private space.

'So, why are you so curious about the diamond, Itachi?'

Taking one last sip of his sake, Itachi simply ignored Yahiko and left a stack of bills on the table as he got up to leave. 'Ah leaving already, Itachi-kun?' Wordlessly, Itachi simply gave a nod of gratitude to one of his silent business partners and left. Yahiko glanced at the bills piled carelessly on the table and smirked.

'Ah that Itachi…such a generous tipper.'

* * *

It was the early hours of the morning when Suzuki Haruka was finally able to leave work, her hair piled ontop of her head and small strands and curls framing her neck.

She wore flats, a welcome relief after having to wear 5-inch stiletto heels throughout the night while enduring the glances and touches of men. Today had been a particularly bad day for her. Wrapping her black coat tighter against her body, she prepared to walk home.

'Haruka.'

With a shriek, she pulled her hands out of her pockets, the gun in her right hand pointed in front of her. You never knew how far these lecherous bastards would go in desperation after refusing to pay. Instead, she found herself staring into the blood red eyes of Uchiha Itachi.

Her heart still pounding, she kept her finger on the trigger.

'What are you doing here, didn't you leave hours ago?'

'I'm flattered you noticed.'

Itachi stated calmly, not at all perturbed by the fact that there was a gun pointed between his eyes.

'Don't be. I couldn't stand the sight of you.'

'Haruka.'

He called her name out as he stepped forward. Haruka stepped back as she raised the gun menacingly at Itachi and warned him.

'Stay back.'

'I only want to talk.'

'And I only want to go home and never _see_ you again, Uchiha.'

She sneered.

'Haruka. Put the gun down.'

Her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She shook her head.

'Just… just go back to your life Itachi and leave me out of it. I don't want to see you again. If I see you again in my next life, that'll have been too soon'

'I'll take you home in my car. You shouldn't be walking home by yourself at this time of night.'

'I can take care of myself Itachi. I've been walking home this late for years now.'

Itachi's eyes lingered on the woman in front of him and he sighed. Within a second he was right infront of Haruka, a hand on the gun lowering the weapon.

'The safety's still on. You couldn't shoot me if you tried.'

'Fuck you Itachi.'

She swore as she jerked her wrist out of his hand and turned to walk away.

'Just one ride, Haruka and I promise you'll never see me again. I won't even come to _L'Esperanza_ ever again.'

Haruka stood there for a second. If Itachi wanted to, he could've easily kidnapped her, maimed her. Hell, he could've sold her into the black markets if he'd so had the volition to do so. She turned on her heels and took a breath, in disbelief that she was going to do this.

'Just one ride. And no detours.'

* * *

'I live in Aoiyama, on the corner of Sendagaya and Maroyama.'

She said stiffly as she slid into the back of the limousine and Itachi followed after her. Haruka stiffly crossed her arms around her chest and crossed her legs, trying to act as impassive as possible.

'You've changed'

Itachi commented and Haruka gave him a scathing glare.

'It's been five years Itachi. Five years of hell so of course I've changed. What in Kami-sama's name do you want?'

His eyes flickered over her face, her body, and he wondered where the beautiful, kind-hearted woman who'd always had a smile on her face for everyone left. Suzuki Haruka would've never dressed so provocatively five years ago. Five years ago, Suzuki Haruka had always been modestly dressed and passionately outspoken on human rights. It had been her life ambition to erase poverty and human trafficking. Catching Itachi's wondering eyes, Haruka let out a bark of laughter.

'Is that what you wanted, _Itachi-kun_?' She questioned venomously as she let the belt of her trench coat fall and she unbuttoned the coat, allowing her uniform to show.

'You know, all you had to do was speak to the manager. That tip you left would've more than covered an hour with me.'

Automatically, her eyes flashed as she reached over to place a hand on Itachi's thigh.

'Who would've thought, blood runs through Uchiha Itachi's veins as well.'

She murmured as she leant over, her lips inches away from his as her hand trailed up his leg. Itachi placed a hand over her wrist, preventing her hands from snaking further up his thigh. His crimson red eyes staring at her.

'I see you're no longer afraid to allow people see your _problematic eyes_.'

It had been over a decade ago, when Itachi had called her over, panicked and as scared as Uchiha Itachi could've ever been when he'd discovered the red mutation of his eyes. She remembered how he'd started wearing sunglasses and contacts to try and hide it, as his eyes had begun to bleed red just a little more each time every time he'd experience a strong emotional change. His eyes had been hypnotic.

 _Beautiful_ is what she'd told him all those years ago.

'What are you doing working there, of all places?'

Instantly, she leaned back, her back pressed against the leather of the car.

'Why does it matter to you? I need money. I work there. I get paid.'

His eyes flickered over her seductive dress again.

'This… this is not the life you wanted.'

Haruka couldn't help but let out a laugh, of both amusement and anger.

'No, Uchiha. But the life I wanted disappeared infront of my eyes six years ago, courtesy of yourself in fact.'

Itachi glanced over at Haruka and she focused on her breathing. She wasn't going to give in. It'd been six years ago, when he'd abandoned her and she wasn't about to let him walk all over her life _again._

'It was necessary.'

'What? Destroying the cure to the virus which would've saved _thousands of lives?_ You took over your family company in a hostile takeover, _destroyed_ the vaccine that could've saved _thousands of life_ , basically ruined the career of every person who had worked or had a stake in the company and then decided to sell off said company for parts! Then, you create a new company that the government is pretty sure is involved in manufacturing and distributing biological weapons to terrorists. Now tell me, Itachi, which one of those steps was _necessary?'_

Itachi stayed silent as Haruka's chest heaved in anger.

'You destroyed my father's life, Itachi, He was the CFO of the company. All his stocks in the Uchiha company… you bankrupted my family.'

'He should've invested more wisely.'

 _SLAP_

Haruka knew that Itachi could've stopped her. That he could have shoved her out of the limo right there and shot her. But it would've been worth it. It would've all been worth it.

'He committed suicide because of you! He couldn't handle the shame and the dishonour and he _killed himself_ because of you! And out of everyone else… your parents, how could you exile your parents like that and _Sasuke!_ Kami, I have no idea who you are, I have no idea _who you were._ '

He remembered meeting her as children, they'd met at a business meeting that his father had organised. He remembered her bright, determined smile and her vision in life as she told him without a doubt, that she was going to change the world and he'd known then, as a child, that he'd wanted Suzuki Haruka by his side while the two of them changed the world into a better, more beautiful and peaceful place. She'd been so determined back then.

'So you're asking me why I'm doing what I do now. It supports my mother and my sister. That's why I'm working here, Itachi. Because of _you.'_

There was silence in the limosine as it continued to move. Haruka clenched her fists, unable to stand being so close to Itachi

'Just let me out here. I'll walk the rest of the way.'

'I said I'd take you home.'

They sat there, silently, neither willing to speak. Haruka glanced over Itachi's form. He was as handsome as he had been six years ago, with his angular face and the long hair which framed his face. His eyes, which had once been onyx were now a crimson red which would've caught any woman's eye.

'I could've loved you, you know.'

She whispered as they kept driving. Itachi's eyes flickered to her in surprise but he didn't say anything.

'What happened those last few months before you took over the company? It was like… you'd completely changed personalities. You pushed me away, you barely slept, you barely talked to anyone. I barely saw you at university. Why did you do all that? _What happened?_ '

'It doesn't matter. It all happened. Nothing will ever change that.'

Itachi said firmly and then turned to look out the window again. Haruka sat there, running her fingers over the dress on her thigh. If he wasn't going to speak, then she was going to say everything she'd ever thought of and that she'd wanted to say since the day he'd decided to leave her life. Maybe, she just sought closure.

'I could've loved you, if you'd let me. I was half in love with you already. I thought you loved me.'

There was a moment of silence. She didn't know what it was, but then something inside her broke – or had it already been broken from six years ago. She moved as carefully as she could, leaned over and she kissed him. She kissed Uchiha Itachi, a member of the Akatsuki Yazuka, as rumour had it. Her lips brushed against his unresponsive ones softly at first and she wondered how many women had thrown themselves at this beautiful, dangerous man as she was now doing.

She pressed her lips against his more firmly as he sat still underneath her and brushed her fingers along his jaw, remembering this fantasy she'd had when the two of them had both still been in university and would have long study sessions together in the library and then coffee breaks in between debating philosophy to politics, to ideals and idle gossip they'd heard.

Her fingers traced his face and she climbed onto his lap, straddling her as she knelt on her knees and then she shivered as she felt his fingers reach up and trace her hip bone. She pressed her hips against his in need. Why, why was she so weak when it came to this one man?

She gasped as one hand suddenly pressed against the back of her head and then he began kissing him with a fervour that contradicted his cold appearance. He didn't waste any time as his tongue slipped inside her mouth and his tongue massaged hers slowly, and then more passionately, as one hand trailed over her breasts and she moaned.

When they broke away for air, he moved her and pressed her down against the seat as he leaned over her, trailing his mouth down her throat in hot, delicious open-mouth kisses and she arched forward, wanting to press every inch and curve of her body against his as she tangled her fingers through hair that she used to play with occasionally during her moments of boredom.

She'd always thought back then, that Uchiha Itachi would've been the love of her life. That they'd marry and she'd give herself entirely to him – her heart, her body, her soul. She'd thought that they would change the world together until he had walked out of her life, her heart in pieces on the ground and she'd eventually given her body up to the highest bidder while her soul slowly withered away as she accepted the mundane existence of her life.

But in the presence of this one man, whom she'd loved since childhood, in less than half an hour with him and at one touch from him, she came alive again. She felt fire and passion run through her veins again and her heart beat rapidly against her chest in a way that never had before when other men had touched her, no matter how handsome or attractive or powerful the man had been when they'd bedded her. She breathed out slowly, as if her lungs were suddenly breathing in new air.

Here she was, with the one man who could've fulfilled her, who could've saved her. And he'd chosen to break her instead.

He pulled away from her, looking much less affected by their sudden moment of intimacy than she did as he glanced out the window.

'We're here.'

It took her a moment to realise that he meant they'd arrived at her place. She sat up, still dizzy from his lips and touches and breathed out. She placed a hand on the door handle and she turned to him and spoke in a mocking voice.

'Thank you for the ride, Uchiha-san.''

She stepped out of the car when Itachi spoke from his sitting position in the car.

'I didn't mean for you to be involved. You were collateral damage, Haruka. I never meant for you to be hurt.'

She blinked and she felt anger anew at his comment.

'Well _that_ makes it all better, doesn't it? You didn't _mean to hurt_ me. I'll see you in another few hundred lifetimes, _Itachi_.'

She slammed the door hard, feeling no satisfaction whatsoever and stormed into her apartment block. Itachi watched her go and made sure that the electronic doors had closed behind Haruka before he ordered his driver to return him home, her words playing in his head.

' _I could've loved you if you'd let me.'_

But he couldn't be selfish. He couldn't let her love him. It was better if neither she nor Sasuke ever learnt the truth. Instead, he watched her walk away.

* * *

A/N: I just had this idea and it popped out in my head so vividly that I had to write it… I'm not sure if this is a one-shot or if I should continue because we all know Itachi's not really evil and he has his reasons for all the evil crap that he's pulled in this story, just like in the manga, which may or may not be explored later on through other character stories.

I think I'm probably going to write more character pairings in this world though… This will either become a fullfledged story or jusy have oneshots with pairings such as NejiTen or SasuTen and ShikaTem… not sure what other pairings I might write. I have to admit, I'm not a _huge_ fan of NaruHina. Something about that relationship leaves me uneasy. I mean, he pursued Sakura for years and was so oblivious… I feel like Hinata could've done so much better and deserved so much more.

So I'm not sure what should be next… NejTen or SasuTen in the next story? Or ShikaTem? Anyone want to try and convince me to write a NaruHIna? Who would you guys suggest for Sakura or Ino? Any other pairings anyone would like to suggest as an idea?


End file.
